Newbie here... would like some advice please.

CKC44 · 03-08-15, 11:34 PM

Hello,

Greetings from Dallas, TX. Our three-toed box turtle Maxie is the love of our lives. We've had her since 2009 and adore her.

We are now looking to bring a snake into the family and are just starting the research. So far the list has been narrowed down to a corn snake, king snake or ball python. We will be doing extensive research into all breeds before bringing him/her into the home however would LOVE any opinions regarding the best breed of snake for beginner snake owning folks.

Sincerely,

CKC44

CKC44 · 03-14-15, 03:26 PM

After reading through a lot of posts in here I have added carpet python to the list as well. Any thoughts?

prairiepanda · 03-14-15, 03:58 PM

What are you looking for in a snake, as far as personality and general care?

I stick with colubrids because most of them can be kept without additional heating and aren't picky about humidity, and I can still find a variety of bold or muted coloration without sacrificing the calm dispositions that I prefer(if you prefer snakes with attitude, that's easy to obtain in a colubrid as well!). So from your list, I would lean towards a corn or king. I find kings to be a bit more active and have a wider range of personalities, but both kings and corns come in a spectacular variety of morphs that generally don't cost much.

Balls and carpets definitely need heating and some attention must be paid to humidity if you're in an extremely dry area like I am. They also need more space and definitely cost more than corns or kings. Ball pythons tend to not be very active and hide most of the time, so they're not great display animals but definitely have some stunning morphs and are generally docile. Carpets seem to vary rather extremely as far as temperament goes, and not all babies tame down with regular handling, so if you aren't prepared to potentially have a large and powerful angry snake then you might want to look for an older animal with a proven disposition. My advice regarding carpets is based only on my own research I've done online and through books, though, as I have not had personal experience with them.

Every type of snake you've listed has its merits, and none is superior to any other, so it really comes down to what you want to get out of owning the snake

Sylphie · 03-14-15, 04:03 PM

I don't recommend balls... I know that they are lovely, calm, and rather small, but with common problems with feeding they can easily discourage a new owner. I was having a young ball python for over 6 months and he was eating only live mouses (which to me was really hard), I tried out all methods to switch him to frozen prey, and finally I find him a new home with someone who does not have a problem with feeding live.

Of course if you don't mind feeding live prey then balls are good, just remember that they can always just stop eating for months and you will be all worried about it... it's their charm

On the other hand I personally will go with corns, they are calm, active and will eat everything you give them

But I don't have any experience with carpets or kings so maybe they are good too.

**Minkness** · 03-14-15, 04:04 PM

I may be Biased, but also being a newb to snakes, I can't help but sing praises to mexican black kingsnakes. That's what I got for my 1st and soooo happy with her! She is easy to maintain and chill enough to eat out my hand, but also has an amazing strike display that is fun to watch (for me anyway lol)

CKC44 · 03-14-15, 04:51 PM

Awesome responses! Thank you soo much! I REALLY appreciate it! It sounds like the corn and king seem to have the kind of characteristics that I am looking for. Do corn and/or king snakes mind being handled as a rule? Is there a big difference in personality between if you own a male or a female?

prairiepanda · 03-14-15, 05:56 PM

You won't see any difference between males and females, but any individual can vary. Generally all corns and kings can get accustomed to handling quite well. With both kings and corns, babies can be a bit skittish but with regular handling they generally learn to tolerate human contact very well. Baby kings are more likely to musk or nip than baby corns, but it depends on the individual. If you can handle them before committing to the purchase, then do! Otherwise just ask the breeder how they are. Kings and corns can be equally calm for handling if you pick the right individual. Some kings are quite defensive.

But both corns and kings have basically the same care requirements, similar price ranges, and are great eaters. I'd suggest you look up some of the different morphs and see which ones appeal to you most as far as looks. When you're looking at kings, keep in mind that there are several species which get to different sizes and some are known to be more defensive than others. Out of all the kings though I would personally recommend a california kingsnake, which has a few different morphs to consider, or a mexican black king if you like black. Those two are the same species but different subspecies, and very easy to find. When you're looking at corn morphs, you might want to check prices as well as there are a couple morphs that are more expensive.

Jrich · 03-14-15, 06:19 PM

Decisions decisions. I love them all. Just about everything that has been said is true. Ball pythons, corns and kings come in an array of colors as well as dispositions. I've had both for years and none of them have been problem feeders, some of my snakes that were being fed live before I got them easily switched to thawed, I could just be lucky though. I find that kings/milks/corns are easier to care for but that's not to say ball pythons aren't. I find that they're quite forgiving to little mistakes in husbandry. The colubrids are much more active while being held and in the enclosure and make great display animals. Ball pythons are much more content to just sit or move very slowly when handled if they move at all. Great snake to sit on the couch and watch tv with. Hope you find what you're looking for!

sharthun · 03-14-15, 06:26 PM

Hey and welcome. Good luck with your decision.

holdendillard · 03-14-15, 07:16 PM

I would always recommend king snakes! I have a cali king, and he dosent hide much and he climbs all over the sticks I provided for him. He's really interesting and of course there are so many different kings to choose from! But corn snakes are beautiful, and I can't honestly say kings are better since I have never owned a corn snake. Good luck with ur decision, can't wait to find out what you get!

CKC44 · 03-15-15, 10:27 PM

Your responses are very informational and so nice. I am so glad I posted for advice. I will definitely let everyone know what we end up bringing home. It will be a few months, but that will give me plenty of time to research how to care for him/her and make sure we are the best snake parents ever!

Deva · 03-16-15, 05:45 PM

I also recommend king snakes. I have a Thayeri king and he is so easy to care for. He readily eats the frozen thawed mice and has almost completely perfect sheds. The Thayeri doesn't require extremely high humidity either. Beautiful colors as well, perfect!

**EL Ziggy** · 03-16-15, 10:28 PM

You can't lose with a colubrid as a first snake. They come in some beautiful morphs, they're a decent size, they're pretty easy to care for, and they're usually great eaters. I would highly recommend a king snake or maybe a bull snake if you like a larger colubrid. After colubrids a carpet python would definitely be my next choice. Best wishes and keep us posted on your decision.

D Grade · 03-17-15, 04:02 AM

Im with Zig master and the rest of the majority. Colubrids are where its at. My Coastal Phase Cali King was my first and he's been great for us. Ferocious eater, a puppy while being held, and growing like a weed. When I got him back in January, he was about 17" long. He's now easily 24-25" long and much tamer while being held.

I also picked up a Tangerine Honduran Milk two weeks ago. Im surprised Milks haven't been mentioned, but they are another great Colubrid along with Kings and Corns. I would advise looking at all subspecies and morphs of Kings, Milks, and Corns and choosing which you like best. The care and husbandry is just about the same all across the board and you cant really go wrong any way you choose.